Teacher jailed for sexually exploiting vulnerable schoolgirl with explicit online chat

The court heard the girl developed mental health problems, anorexia and post-traumatic stress disorder, while she had also struggled in school because of what had happened

John Murphy was sentenced to three years in prison for the offence of sexual exploitation of a child contrary to Section 3 of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998 but suspended the final two years on a number of conditions. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

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A secondary school teacher who preyed on a vulnerable young schoolgirl by engaging in sexually explicit conversations with her on Instagram over a 12-month period has been given a three-year jail sentence with the final two years suspended.